Is sex during pregnancy safe?

IS IT SAFE TO HAVE SEXUAL INTERCOURSE DURING PREGNANCY?

Normally it is quite safe to continue making love while you are pregnant. Many women and their partners are concerned for the well being of their baby/babies, thinking that sexual intercourse may be harmful in some way. This is not the case. You may need to consider the positions you use, as some eg lying flat on your back with your partner on top, may not be comfortable later in pregnancy. Comfortable positions may be lying on your side with both partners facing each other, lying on your side with your back towards your partner, in a hands and knees position with your partner entering from behind or sitting. Books and magazines can assist you with other ideas for comfortable positions, or create your own, depending on what is comfortable for you.

It is not safe or recommended to continue sexual intercourse if you have had some spotting (bleeding), gone into premature labour or if your waters have broken. Spotting or bleeding at any time during pregnancy should be checked out by your Doctor or Midwife before you resume intercourse again. Intercourse can stimulate more contractions of the uterus, so seek advice from your doctor or midwife regarding your particular situation. If your waters break, your baby is no longer protected, so it is not safe to have sexual intercourse then until after your baby is born.

Otherwise it can be safe to continue sexual intercourse right up to the time you go into labour. In fact, midwives recommend sex to bring on labour as the prostaglandins in the semen can actually trigger contractions. So if you are overdue, ‘go for it’, using this as one way of trying to kick-start your labour. There is no harm in trying.

Can orgasm start labour? The answer is no, unless you were ready to go into labour anyway. However, it is normal though after intercourse to feel some uterine contractions (tightening), which usually go away after a few minutes.